Can body side seam forming apparatus



March 22;, 1949. E. LAXO CAN BODY SIDE SEAM FORMING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1946,

V INVENTOR. ED LA X0 Mazrch 22, 1949. I E. LAXO v 2,45,

CAN BODY SIDE SEAM FORMING APPARATUS Filed 06. 24, 1946 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /8 INVENTOR.

A 7' TORNEKS Patented Mar. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE CAN BODY SIDE SEAM FORMING APPARATUS Ed Laxo, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Atlas Impenal Diesel Engine 00,, Oakland, Calif acorporation of Delaware 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for forming and locking the side seams of can bodies.

Certain types of machines for forming and locking the side seams of can bodies embody a shaft for determining the positions of tool mechanisms in a supporting horn or mandrel. Such shaft is rotated a partial revolution both in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to appropriately and variously support the tool mechanisms at predetermined periods in the operating cycle of the machine. The present invention has for its objective an improved operating and control mechanism for determining the position of such tool mechanism shaft within the horn or mandrel of a can body forming machine. More specifically, the present invention has for its object the rotation of the shaft within a can body supporting mandrel to the desired angular extent and the holding of the shaft in such position until released by the machine operator.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and i1- lustrated by wayof example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a can body side seam forming and locking machine.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken along the line 22 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of part of the latch and control mechanism for the mandrel shaft, as seen from the rear of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a partial end elevation taken along the line 4-4 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial cross-section taken along the line 5-5 on Fig. 1.

The present invention is disclosed in the drawings as forming part of a machine for both forming and locking side seams in can bodies. This machine includes a frame H] in which a main drive shaft II is revolubly mounted, motion being imparted to the drive shaft from a suitable belt and pulley device I 2, I 3 through a clutch mechanism [4. The drive shaft operates a crosshead l5, and certain forming tools I6 carried in the crosshead, through appropriate mechanism which forms no part of the present invention, but which is fully described and claimed in my application entitled Apparatus for forming and locking can body side seams, filed December 24, 1946, Serial No. 718,212. The crosshead I5 is movable to and from atubular mandrel I! 1. cated therebelow, which has one end supported in the column I8 of the machine frame.

The mandrel I] is provided with an inclined slot 19 in which an edger tool at is mounted, which tool is designed to cooperate with various other tools l6, 2| in the crosshead l5 and mandrel I! for the purpose of both forming and locking the side seam on a can body positioned upon the mandrel, in a known, manner. The position of the edger tool 20 in the mandrel is determined by the location of a shaft 22 oscillatably mounted within the mandrel or horn I! of the machine, and extending completely through the column N3 of the frame to the exterior thereof, where other operating mechanism is attached to the shaft. The shaft has a longitudinally extending channel or groove 23 therein, designed to occupy an. upper position, as disclosed in Fig. 5, in which the periphery of the shaft supports the edger tool 20 in an upper position within the slot I9, and also another position wherein the shaft has been rotated clockwise a partial revolution in order to bring its groove 23 into conformity with the mandrel slot is and permit the edger tool 28 to occupy a lower position within the slot.

Further details of the tools carried by the crosshead and the mandrel are unnecessary to an understanding of the present invention, since such details may be found in the aforementioned application.

Oscillation or angular positioning of the shaft 22 within the mandrel I 1 is obtained in proper sequence during the cycle of operation of the machine. Movement of the shaft in one direction is effected by a cam 24 fixed to the main drive shaft ll immediately to the outer side of the vertical frame column Hi. This cam is adapted to engage a follower roller 25 mounted on one arm 26 of a rocker lever 21 oscillatable on a pivot pin 28 secured to the frame column l8. The other arm 29 of the lever is pivotally connected to the upper end of a link 39 whose lower end is pivotally attached to a second lever 3| adjustably clamped around and to the end portion of the oscillatable shaft 22 extending from the vertical frame column.

Oscillation of the shaft 22 in one direction is performed by the cam 24, rocker lever 21, inter mediate link 30, and shaft lever 31. Return movement of the shaft is produced by a spring 32 whose lower end is attached to a pin 33 secured to the column [8 of the machine and whose upper end is secured to a lug 34 projecting from the shaft lever 3|. Such return movement is limited by engagement of the lever 3! with a stud 35: threadedinto. a boss 36v secured to the frame and held in adjusted position by a suitable lock nut3'l on the threaded stud.

Return by the spring 32 of the lever 3| and mandrel shaft 22 to their initial position is prevented by a releasable lock device consisting of a latch 38 having a notch 39 adapted to engage over the outer nose portion 40 of the shaft lever. This latch is secured to a shaft 4| pivotally mounted in a bearing boss 42 in the colunm l8 of the machine and having a lever 43 secured on its end adapted to engage a collar 44 fixed to an operating rod or link 45 whose lower end is attached to a foot treadle (not shown). The link or rod 45 initiates engagement of the clutch mechanism l4 and operation of the machine, as described and claimed in my application entitled "Clutch mechanism, filed December 24, 1946, Serial No. 718,213. The latch 38, its shaft 4| and lever 43 are rocked to lever 3| latching position by a spring 46 received within a boss 41 secured to the frame and bearing against the fiattened portion 4|a of the shaft to one side of its axis.

When the operating link 45 is moved downwardly, to permit engagement of the clutch M, the spring 46 rocks the latch 38 to engaging position with respect to the lever nose 40. Rotation of the drive shaft II and its cam 24 swings the lever 3| downwardly to rotate the shaft 22, placing the lever nose 4!! in latching engagement with the latch notch 39, the latch 38 preventing return movement of the lever 3| and shaft 22 by the spring 32. Such return movement occurs upon elevation of the operating rod 45 by a spring (not shown) causing the collar 44 to engage the lever 43 and remove the latch 38 from the lever nose 40, releasing the lever 3| and allowing the spring 32 to function and return the shaft 22 to its initial position.

It is, accordingly, seen that a shaft oscillating mechanism has been devised which angularly moves the shaft 22 by the cam 24, linkage and lever mechanism 21, 30, 3| to position its groove 23 with its side 23a and bottom 23b in alignment with the side |9a and bottom |9b of the inclined slot I9 in the mandrel l7, thus allowing retraction of the edger tool 23 within the slot l9. The shaft 22 is locked in such position by the latch mechanism 38 and cannot be returned to its initial position until the manually held link or rod 45 is released. Following such release, elevation of the rod 45 effects disengagement of the latch 38 from the lever 3| and allows the spring 32 to rock the shaft 22 back to its initial position, which movement causes the shaft to re-elevate the edger tool 20 to its upper position, in which it is capable of partaking in the formation of a side seam on another can body.

While I have described a preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A can body side seamer, comprising a can body supporting mandrel; a forming tool carried by said mandrel; a rotatable tool shaft disposed within said mandrel and provided with means engaging said forming tool operable, upon rotation of said tool shaft from a first predetermined rotary position to a second predetermined rotary position, to locate said tool, respectively, in a first position and a second position; a drive shaft provided with means to rotate said tool shaft from said first to said second predetermined rotary position; means operative to return said tool shaft to said first rotary position; latching means normally operative to prevent said return of the tool shaft; and means actuatable to unlatch said latching means to return said tool shaft to the first rotary position.

2. The side seamer of claim 1, including a clutch operative to initiate and discontinue rotation of said drive shaft, and a clutch lever operative to actuate said clutch and provided with means for engaging said latching means to unlatch the same.

3. In a can body side seamer comprising a can body supporting mandrel and a rotatable tool shaft disposed within the mandrel, the improvement which comprises a drive shaft, means operatively connecting said drive shaft and said tool shaft operable to rotate said tool shaf tfrom a first predetermined rotary position to a second predetermined rotary position, means operable to return said tool shaft from said second rotary position to said first rotary position, latching means normally operable to prevent return of said tool shaft and means actuatable to unlatch said latching means to return said tool shaft to said first rotary position.

4. In a can body sideseamer comprising a can body supporting mandrel and a rotatable tool shaft disposed within said mandrel, the improvement which comprises a main drive shaft, a rotary cam secured to said drive shaft, link and lever means operatively connecting said rotary cam and said tool shaft and actuated by said rotary cam to rotate said tool shaft from a first predetermined rotary position to a second predetermined rotary position, spring means operable to return said tool shaft from said second rotary position to said first rotary position, a pivotal latch operable to engage said link and lever means when said tool shaft is in said second rotary position so as to prevent return thereof to said first rotary position, and means actuatable to pivot said latch out of engagement with said link and lever means.

5. The sideseamer of claim 4, wherein said latch is urged by spring means to latching position, and including a clutch operable to clutch and unclutch said drive shaft to a source of power, means actuatable to engage and disengage said clutch and means operatively connected with said clutch engaging means operable, on disengagement of said clutch, to pivot said latch to unlatching position.

6. Apparatus of the character described, including a can body supporting mandrel, a forming tool mounted in said mandrel for reciprocable movement inwardly and outwardly of the mandrel, an oscillatable shaft disposed within said mandrel and provided with means engaging said forming tool and operable, upon rotation of said oscillatable shaft from a first predetermined rotary position to a second predetermined rotary position, to locate said tool respectively in a first position and a second position, a drive shaft, means responsive to rotation of said drive shaft for rotating said oscillatable shaft within said mandrel to a predetermined position, latch means for holding said oscillatable shaft in such predetermined position, and manually operable means for releasing said latch means from its shaft holding position.

7. Apparatus of the character described, including a can body supporting mandrel, a forming tool mounted in said mandrel for reciprocable movement inwardly and outwardly of the mandrel, an oscillatable shaft disposed within said mandrel" and provided with means engaging said forming tool and operable, upon rotation of said oscillatable shaft from a first predetermined rotary position to a second predetermined rotary position, to locate said tool respectively in a first position and a second position, a. drive shaft, means responsive to rotation of said drive shaft for rotating said oscillatable shaft within said mandrel to a predetermined position, latch means for holding said oscillatable shaft in such predetermined position, a clutch mounted on said drive shaft for transmitting rotary motion thereto, means actuatable to control said clutch, and means responsive to movement of said control means to clutch disengaging position for releasing said latch means from its shaft holdin position.

ED LAXO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 286,283 Dolan Oct. 9, 1883 531,814 Vogel Jan. 1, 1895 821,134 Steward May 22, 1906 923,687 Nelson et a1. June 1, 1909 15 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 414,590 Germany June 8, 1925 

